The subject matter described herein relates generally to a poke-in electrical connector for terminating electrical wires.
Some electrical connectors that terminate electrical wires include terminal blocks that pivot between open and closed positions. In the open position, the terminal blocks are oriented to receive the ends of corresponding electrical wires, which may be stripped to expose the conductors thereof. The terminal blocks are pivoted from the open positions to the closed positions to engage the electrical conductors of the electrical wires in electrical connection with corresponding electrical contacts of the electrical connector.
Pivot block style connectors are not without their disadvantages. For example, the electrical contacts of at least some known pivot block style connectors require the use of a separate compliant spring to hold the electrical contact in physical contact with the wire. Such connectors require multiple parts and may have high spring force. Such connectors tend to buckle smaller wires when the wires are poked-in to the connector.